In Perspective

Resiliency important for students, faculty

I would like to thank the editorial staff at The Chart for allowing me the opportunity to welcome our student body back to campus, and let each of you know how much I hope this is a truly great year in every way.

I also want you to know the faculty, staff and administration of Missouri Southern are all dedicated to helping you grow, develop and ultimately succeed in your quest to become a university graduate.

We care deeply about each of you and want you to know we are all in this together.

Over the years, I have often been asked what it takes to be successful in college, and of course the list of helpful attributes can be very lengthy. I believe of all the necessary components, two really stand out for me: Persistence and Resilience.

There will be opportunities to quit during your higher education journey, but this is when you need to draw on your strength to persist. Financial challenges, grade disappointments, scheduling conflicts, and a myriad of other issues will undoubtedly arise.

Each time one of these nagging problems occur, it will require persistence to pull you through to the next step toward graduation. And, graduation is obviously the ultimate goal.

Resilience is equally important if not more important, because it is the characteristic that will cause you to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and continue onward even after a nasty fall.

Sadly, deeply disappointing events will occur no matter how hard we try to avoid them. It’s the ability to learn how to be ever more resilient that will allow you to effectively turn problems into opportunities. 

The founder of Brightworks School, Gever Tulley, put it like this: “Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems.”

So, as you are faced with difficult academic, social, and/or personal problems, just remember these are simply opportunities to build your capacity for persistence and resilience that will serve you well over a lifetime.

Fortunately, we have many resources available to help you when you are faced with challenges that can seem overwhelming. And, I would encourage you to utilize them to their fullest.

Whether it’s tutoring assistance, financial aid guidance, or personal counseling… please contact the appropriate office to get the help you need.

As Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never give up.”

Please know that it’s our heartfelt desire to see each student cross the stage at commencement and join the long list of Lion Alumni, and we are here to help you be as “persistent and resilient” as necessary to reach that goal.

Working together we can make every day “A great day to be a Lion.”

Have a great semester!